Everywhere
by BleachBox Romance
Summary: Cause you're everywhere to me, and when I close my eyes it's you I see. You're everything I know that makes me believe, I'm not alone. IchixRuki


**MAIN CHARACTERS: Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki**

**SONG USED: Everywhere**

**ARTIST: Yellowcard (Originally by Michelle Branch) **

**ALBUM: Punk Goes Pop**

**SUMMARY: 'Cause you're everywhere to me, and when I close my eyes it's you I see. You're everything I know that makes me believe, I'm not alone. IchixRuki **

**Yes, yes, I know the original version was by Michelle Branch, but I'm a devoted Yellowcard fan, so I am obligated to like their version better. I could go on about my obsession with Yellowcard for a few days, but you guys probably want to read the story, huh?**

**P.S. I have recently discovered the brilliant podcast Anime-Pulse, hosted by cosplaying anime junkies Ichigo and Bauto. Their main topics are Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece, along with various other animes. The best part is, they go only by what is in the original Japanese versions instead of the Americanized edited versions. Check these guys out!**

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**Turn it inside out so I can see  
The part of you that's drifting over me.  
'Cause when I look you're, you're never there,  
But when I sleep you're, you're everywhere.  
You're everywhere.**

"Do you really need to leave? Why can't you stay here to train?" Rukia watched as Ichigo placed the clothes in his bag, not responding to the question. His back was turned to her, his eyes focused on the work. He zipped up the bag after he had loaded the last of his necessities and slung the strap over his shoulder. He turned to see her pained eyes, a twang of guilt shooting through his heart.

"I'm sorry, Rukia. But I have to go." He paused, expecting another protesting question, inquiring to the reason of his departure. "I'm sorry." Ichigo repeated, his voice expressing his loss of hope that she would understand.

"Can't Urahara train you? Why do you have to leave?" Rukia grabbed his arm, staring into his eyes. Despite the scowl that adorned his face, his eyes shone with remorse.

"Urahara has nothing left to teach me. Even that wasn't enough to protect you, so yes, I have to go." Ichigo took Rukia's hand, unclasping her grip on his arm. He looked at it for a moment, observing the significant differences in their hands. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "I will come back soon. You can count on that. I just need to be sure that when the time comes, I can protect you."

**Tell me how I got this far.  
Tell me why you're here and who you are.  
'Cause every time I look  
You're never there.  
And every time I sleep  
You're always there.**

"But you did protect me! I didn't die-"

"But you were hurt." Ichigo firmly stated. "You were hurt because of my weakness, and I want to make sure that something like that will never happen again." His scowl disappeared as he opened the window, a soft smile replacing it. "Don't worry. I'll be back before you can even miss me. I promise." With that, he leapt from his window and into the dark night.

"No you won't." Rukia whispered, her eyes focused on the window. "Because I miss you already."

**'Cause you're everywhere to me, **  
_**And when I close my eyes it's you I see.  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone.**_

That seemed so long ago to Ichigo.He glanced at the calendar on the wall, searching for the day's date. May 2nd. It had been a full year since he had left Karakura, all of his friends, Rukia, so he could train. It had seemed more like a lifetime rather than a year to him. They days felt like weeks, the weeks felt like months, and the months felt like years. He couldn't go back home until he had gotten stronger.

But hadn't he gotten stronger? Hadn't the last year of grueling, non-stop training made him stronger in the least? '_Maybe I should go back.' _It was a very intriguing idea, to say the least. He wanted, no, needed to get back to his home, to have real food, to see Rukia. That thought surprised him. He had missed her, there was no doubt about that, but something more than friendship seemed to be cause of it, at least to him. The many sleepless nights, laying in bed with nothing to do, will get anyone thinking about things they never had before.

**I recognize the way you make me feel.  
It's hard to think that  
You might not be real.  
I sense it now, the water's getting deep.  
I try to wash the pain away from me.  
Away from me. **

He _had_ gotten stronger. He_ was_ stronger. He _could _protect Rukia. There was no point hanging around this dump when he should be back in the real world, protecting her. There was nothing left for him here, and everything for him there. "Then what the hell am I still doing here?" Smirking, Ichigo grabbed his zanpaktou and, not bothering to grab his bag, jumped out the window the way he had one year ago.

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The rain was coming down in steady sheets now, obstructing Rukia's vision. She didn't like the rain any more than Ichigo did, but yet every time it rained, she would find herself outside waiting for him to come back. She stayed up late at night and into the early hours of the morning waiting for his arrival, but to no avail. He had said that he'd be back soon, but it had already been a year. A year of waiting, like she was now, on a park bench in the rain. Why she held so much hope that he would show up soon was beyond anyone.

**'Cause you're everywhere to me, **  
_**And when I close my eyes it's you I see.  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone.**_

_**I'm not alone.**_

Renji had tried to tell Rukia not tostay out in the freezing cold sheets of rain, waiting on him. But as hard as he tried, she would disregard his worries. He knew how she felt about Ichigo, mostly in part because Renji felt the same way about her, so he let her wait. It worried him occasionally, when she would come back after a sleepless night, that Ichigo would do something stupid and get himself killed.

Rukia refused to believe that Ichigo would die without coming back, because he had promised that he would return. He was one who always stuck to his word, no matter what the circumstances, so why should this be any different? After all, he promised.

"I promise."

**And when I touch your hand  
It's then I understand  
The beauty that's within.  
It's now that we begin.  
You always light my way.  
There never comes a day,  
No matter where I go,  
I always feel you so.**

Rukia sighed deeply, staring longingly into the dark, overcast sky. "Ichigo, when are you coming home?" She whispered, defeated.

"I am home."

Rukia turned her head quickly, instantly recognizing the familiar voice. Ichigo stood, smiling, a few feet away from the bench. His clothes had been soaked through, revealing the contours of his chest. The rain had drenched his hair, taking away it's normal spiky appearance. "I promised you that I'd come back."

"What took you so long?" Rukia's eyes began to water, the rain hiding it.

"Traffic." Ichigo's grin widened as he rubbed the back of his head, his brown eyes staring into Rukia's violet ones.

**'Cause you're everywhere to me, **  
_**And when I close my eyes it's you I see.  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone.** _

**I'm not alone.**

"Ichigo, you idiot." Rukia sprung up from the bench and charged straight into Ichigo, wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug. The wet fabric of his shirt pressed against her face as Ichigo returned the embrace, his strong arms encircling her small body. He pressed his face on the top of her head, keeping her protected from the rain. His warmth relived her long chilled body of the cold, her small frame leaning comfortably against his larger one.

"I missed you so much, Rukia." Ichigo murmured into her damp hair, his embrace briefly tightening. He let his body shield her from the rain, his head feeling the millions of water droplets that landed on top of it. "I'm sorry I left. I shouldn't have gone."

"What do you mean?" Rukia tilted her head up so she could look at his face.

"I wanted to leave so I could get stronger and protect you. But how could I protect you if I wasn't even in the same dimension as you?" Ichigo spoke softly, using a wet hand to cup Rukia's face.

**You're everywhere to me.  
And when I catch my breath  
It's you I breathe.  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe,  
I'm not alone.**

"You don't need to protect me." Rukia placed her hand over Ichigo's.

"Yeah, I do." Ichigo moved his hand and tilted Rukia's head up with his index finger. "'Cause that's what people are supposed to do to the one they love. They protect 'em." He tilted his head down and kissed her on the lips. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead on hers, letting the rain fall around them.


End file.
